


A Soul For A Soul

by Haberdasher



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Canonical Character Death, Endgame, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Soul Stone (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 04:01:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18652504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haberdasher/pseuds/Haberdasher
Summary: The story of a meeting and a transaction on Vormir.(This probably didn’t actually happen in canon, because it would’ve been worth mentioning and it was never mentioned, and I think a line or two might have specifically ruled it out, but just let me have this alright)





	A Soul For A Soul

**Author's Note:**

> This is an Endgame-based fic; major Endgame spoilers lie ahead. If you haven’t seen Endgame, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

Clint had told Steve ahead of time that on Vormir he’d be faced with an entity that claimed to be guardian of the Soul Stone, an entity who had previously demanded a sacrifice in exchange for the Stone’s retrieval.

Clint had  _not_  told Steve ahead of time that the entity in question was, of all people, apparently  _the Red fucking Skull_.

There were two possible explanations for why the Red Skull’s appearance came as an unpleasant surprise to Steve, rather than something Clint would have warned him about in advance: either Clint had conveniently forgotten or neglected to mention the appearance of the Soul Stone’s guardian, or the guardian wasn’t actually the Red Skull, just a shapeshifter who thought it was amusing to take on the appearance of whoever’s face would piss off onlookers the most. Steve was betting on option number two there, though he wasn’t sure if that guess was based on intuition or just on sheer hope that the universe didn’t hate him quite that much.

The Red Skull, for his part, didn’t look to have much in the way of emotional response upon seeing Steve appear out of nowhere, though admittedly it wasn’t all that easy reading his facial expressions given that, well,  _skull_.

Steve hesitated for a moment and considered just biting his tongue and getting on with things, but he couldn’t stop himself. “That’s enough of that now. Go change back to your true form.”

The response came without hesitation or any sign of emotion. “This is my true form.”

Steve’s mind ran through a handful of swears that he managed to not voice out loud. He still wasn’t sure if he believed the Soul Stone guardian about the whole true form thing, but one way or another, it meant that he was going to have to stare into the face of the Red Skull for the rest of his time on Vormir.

_Wonderful._

Anyway. Time to get back to business.

“I’ve come to return the Soul Stone to its rightful place in the timeline.”

As Steve retrieved the Soul Stone and brought it out, the stone glimmering slightly in the dim light of Vormir, the entity that may or may not have been the Red Skull watched the Stone carefully, his eyes lighting up with interest and another emotion that Steve couldn’t quite identify.

Before the Soul Stone’s guardian could take it back, however, Steve took a step back and added, “But I’m getting our end of the bargain back in exchange.”

“What?”

“Clint told me about the little speech you gave to him and Nat here. Something about how you have to give up something you love to take the Soul Stone. A soul for a soul, was that it?”

The maybe-Red Skull didn’t say anything, but the expression on his face visibly soured.

“Well, now I’m returning that... soul...” Steve’s eyes turned down to look back at the Soul Stone for a moment. It was weird enough talking about souls in the general sense, but it was another thing entirely to use the word for what was basically a fancy magic rock. “So I’ll be taking Nat’s back in exchange.”

The Soul Stone’s guardian looked unimpressed. “I’m afraid that’s not how this works.”

“Like hell that’s not how this works! You’re the one who mentioned that rule in the first place, it’s only fair that you abide by it too.”

“You don’t understand-”

“No,  _you_  don’t understand. I’m coming here from the funeral of a- a close friend, a death caused in part by that Soul Stone that’s so precious to you now. We still haven’t held a funeral for Nat yet, and if I’m gonna have to attend another funeral coming up, I’d much rather it be yours than hers.” Steve looked the maybe-Red Skull in the eyes. Admittedly, whether it was the Red Skull or a shapeshifter taking his form, Steve didn’t exactly know how to go about killing him, but then again, the same could have been said about Thanos, and that hadn’t stopped them either time before.

“Also, if you really are the guy I used to know with that face, you should remember that the last time the two of us fought, it didn’t work out so well for you.”

That particular fight hadn’t worked out exactly as planned for Steve, either, but Steve kept that part to himself. (Besides, he was going to go back and fix that once all was said and done in regards to the Stones.)

The Soul Stone guardian let out a long sigh and reached out his hand.

“A soul for a soul. That’s the deal. Your words, not mine.”

Steve had been expecting something flashy to happen when he handed over the Soul Stone--a portal to open up, perhaps, like so many had during that last battle with Thanos. But instead, once the Stone passed from one owner to the other, Steve saw something pop into his peripheral vision, and when he turned to his side he saw that it was Nat, standing there as if nothing at all had happened, as if she had been there the whole time.

Steve didn’t say another word to the Soul Stone’s guardian; Red Skull or no, their exchange was over, and he didn’t want to waste his breath on the guy. Instead, Steve looked Nat over before asking, “Are you okay?”

Nat’s expression was hard to read, but then, it usually was. Steve wondered if learning to have a flawless poker face had been part of that training she had gone through at a young age. It wouldn’t have surprised him. “I’m fine. Let’s get out of here.”

As Steve took Nat’s hand and prepared to jump through time and space again, a hint of a smile made its way onto his face.

One person had come to Vormir this time, but two would be leaving.


End file.
